The Vivo-Bike USB Rechargeable 300 Lumen Cree LED Bike Headlight

Vivo-Bike USB Rechargeable 300 Lumen Cree LED Bike Headlight 

 Looking inside the light at it's bulb

 Red light inside the on/off switch indicating it is charging

  Green light inside the on/off switch indicating it the battery is fully charged

 The "no-tools" required silicone strap 

 The USB charging port at the back end of the light 

The USB rechargeable 300 Lumen Cree LED bike headlight by Vivo-Bike.  This headlight weighs 50 grams and is water resistant.  It conveniently fits on handlebars ranging in diameter from 20mm to 40mm and easily can be attached and removed quickly without the use of any tools. The beam it emits, is more of a flat beam, unlike other lights that shine a round beam. The light comes with a micro USB cord, for charging the light. The USB cord is a little over eight inches in length. To charge it simple attache to a computer port or wall adapter.  A red lamp is present inside the on/off switch when it is charging. The lamp turns green when the light is fully charged. The light has a total of three modes. A high, a low and a flashing or strobe mode. It takes approximately three hours to fully charge the light. In return when using the light in high mode the battery is expected to last about three hours. When used in the low mode it will last approximately five hours and using in the strobe or flashing mode the battery can last up to 12 hours. The battery inside is a 800mAh Li-Polymer battery (Lithium battery). The light emitted by the bike light is very bright and will light a bike path/lane very well. The light measures two and a half inches long and one inch wide. The light is attached to the rubber strap, so when removing both the strap and light come off together. A simple silicone red tail light, which can be turned on to a blinking mode or just a constant on also comes with the headlight.  #VivoBike 

Last Weekend's Training Rides

Saturday's route 

Sunday's Route (group ride) 

Last weekend I was stoked I was able to get in two solid rides.  The first one on Saturday I brought out the mountain bike on the streets.  I took it not knowing if I would come across a trail I might want to explore.  I stayed on the street however. Consumed an Amrita apricot strawberry energy bar to get my nutrition started.  I packed in my jersey pocket another one of those along with two CarbBOOM gel packs if I needed them. The morning was overcast which help keep the summer temperature down. I felt really strong and brought enough hydration.  I wanted to mainly get out and ride a good 12 to 15 miles, depending upon how I felt, knowing that I planned on riding Sunday with a local group ride. 

Sunday’s ride was with a new group I found online.  They were having a recovery ride / beginners ride, so the average speed would be around 15MPH for the 26 mile course they had planned. There were about 20 riders that showed up for the ride that began just as the sun was rising. I jumped out near the front of the ride and hung there until a water break around the 10 mile mark.  The second part of the ride, I jumped out in front and lead a small group that went above the rides projected average speed.  I felt very strong through out the whole ride.  I might try this ride again next week and try to stay back with the rest of the pack. I mainly was doing the ride really for adding mileage, not really trying to add speed. 

Everything fell into place from the preparation of my nutrition to the cool down and recovery when I got home.  A lot of my home workouts are paying off with just how good I have been feeling before and after a workout. 

Eineo EC2 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

The Eineo EC2 wireless Bluetooth headphones.  First off the headset provides audio up to 32 feet away from the Bluetooth connected device it is paired and connected with. That device can be either an iPhone or Android cell phone or tablet and can even synch with various laptops provided they have Bluetooth 4.0.  Also with the smartphone connection, the microphone inside the headset allows for phone calls to be made. The headset comes with three size ear bud pairs for that perfect fit and two sets of ear stabilizers, helping the headphone stay in place inside your ear. A micro USB charging cable  along with the other accessories fit nicely in a carrying case. The case measures four inches by four inches square and is one and 3/4 inch deep. The big green button, which blends in the the design on the outside of the right ear piece is a multi function button or on/off button and Bluetooth pairing button. On the right ear piece are also the volume controls up and and and music track forward or backward, depending upon the device you have it paired with. Last on the right ear piece is the USB charging port. The headset takes about 1.5 hours to charge and you should get four to six hours of talk/use time out of the charge. The headset can stay in the standby mode for over 150 hours.  The quality of the sound is ok, but is sometimes crackly. The flat cord connecting the earpieces together is 21 and 1/2 inches long, plenty of room to go around the back of your head/neck or comfortably hang under your chin. 

Using the Frozen Peaz Large Wrap Not Only For Cold Therapy But Hot As Well.

Not only are FrozenPeaz® perfect for cold therapy treatments but HOT as well. YES, simply place them in the microwave for a 60 second warm up and there you have it.  Don't exceed leaving the pack in the microwave for more than 90 seconds, as it will damage the product. Place the Peaz Pak in the flannel Peaz Pod. The FrozenPeaz® Large Single Wrap measures 8 inches by 9 inches.  Perfect for treating sore muscles, cramps or injuries when cold or increasing range of motion when heated in a microwave.  Its ability to conform to the body it beats treating with just a regular heating pad, which requires you to be tethered, with its cord plugged into the wall.

I am very excited to be an ambassador for FrozenPeaz®. 

Relieve pain. Reduce swelling. Recover faster.™ 

Check them out at the link below.

FROZEN PEAZ

More on XeroShoes

So in my first post on XeroShoes I just started using them to help with barefoot running.  Not every time I go running though am I using them. I am wanting to use them to help strengthen my feet as well as for me helping with becoming more of a mid-foot striker instead of being a heel striker.

While somethings come to an end, a beginning starts a new.

After 221 days of "running at least a mile or more” it has come to an end.  There are days when fitting in a workout are easier.  I know taking a simple 12 minutes of a day is easy to just focus on the simple mile. I planned on keeping it going for at least the 365 days to say I did it for a whole year.  Long days and the heat have finally caught up to me this summer.  I still plan on getting my running, cycling and swimming workouts in, just not the daily mile like I have been doing. Just before I pulled the plug on the daily mile, I recorded a 15 second video clip and had a group of coaches from the Carmichael Training Systems analyze my running thru #SuuntoRun.  I have known for a long time that I am a heel striker and have been working on becoming more of a mid foot striker.  I received some great feedback, not only from the coaches but from others on social media after they took looked at my running form or shall we say lack of form in the video above. I wanted to get my form analyzed to help me become be more efficient runner. That being said, this spins right into my next training I have been working with. The XeroShoes, bare-foot running sandals. 

Life Care Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon essential oil has many natural properties. The Life Care Lemon essential oil is super strong and effective with its 5X.  I have used the Lemon essential oil as a natural detox and cleanse as well as for aromatherapy.  Obviously with scent of lemons it is very light and refreshing. A few drops can be added to a load of laundry to rid them of a nasty unpleasant odor. 

The Life Care Lemon essential oil comes complete with a glass dropper, don’t use anything else to dispense the oil. Putting a few drops of the lemon oil in a glass of water 3 times a day and drinking it can support metabolism and weight loss.

 #Lemonoil

Cycle Torch Shark 500 Lumen Bike Light

Cycle Torch Shark 500 Lumen Bike Light 

Shark 500 w/ handlebar strap 

On button glowing blue 

front of light 

USB charging cords for both front and tail light charging 

Close up of flat shape beam

Tail light illuminated 

Tail light turned off 

Tail light unscrewed from mount to show USB charging port 

I had the opportunity in the past few weeks to test and review the Cycle Torch Shark 500 Lumen super bright bike light along with a taillight, both USB port rechargeable. The beam in which the light emits is what they are calling a flat shape beam.  This is done as to not blind oncoming traffic or others in front of you. I believe this is due to the shape of the front of the light. The mount is very easy to install with the provided silicone straps letting the light be attached to bars with a diameter of 20mm to 34mm. The headlight has four modes. A high, a medium, a low and a flashing / strobe mode.  If the light was to be used in the high mode ( using all 500 Lumen) the battery would last about an hour and a half. If the battery was used on medium ( 250 Lumen) the battery would last three hours. If the battery was used on low ( 50 Lumen) is would last about 15 hours, and finally if the light was used in the flashing mode the battery is expected to last longer than 30 hours before needing to be recharged.

To find out how much charge is in the battery, simply hold down the on button for three seconds. The light will flash from one to ten times.  The more flashes the more power the battery has. So one blink indicates the battery is nearly dead and ten indicates the battery is fully charged. Also the light switch will glow red when the battery level is low and will turn off automatically is the battery is too low. The light is powered by a 18650 / 3.7V-2400 mAh Li-ion battery with the light source being a CREE XML T6 ultra bright LED. Charging the unit takes between four and ten hours with the simple USB cable port on the back of the light. 

The tail light it comes with is what they are calling a Nano I.  To access the USB charging port it must be unscrewed apart from the rubber attachment strip. There is a small light inside that glows letting you know the battery is charging, which will take about two hours to fully charge. Depending on the mode in which it is used in the light can last from two hour to 20 hours. It can also be attached to bars / seat posts with a diameter of 20mm to 34mm. The tail light operates in three modes, steady light or fast or slow blinking. 

I was sent the Cycle Torch light at no charge.  The first light I was shipped did not charge and the body of the unit was hot. There was something wrong with the unit.  I requested another one to replace the faulty one. Their great customer service helped out and another one was quickly on its way. That being said, the light comes with a 100% money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied with the light within a year of purchasing.  No questions asked.  

WhizBeats by SoundWhiz

Tired of wires and cords to keep you plugged in to listening to music or talking on the phone?  SoundWhiz has come out with WhizBeats, a bluetooth connectable set of headphones with build in microphone. The set of headphones is very light and good quality sound comes out of them. Easily connects through bluetooth to many smart bluetooth enabled devices.  I have paired it with an I-pod, a Droid and two Mac’s, one a laptop the other a desktops.  Works convenient on any of the. While the ear tip sits inside the ear canal, it comes with a handy earphone bracket keeping it in place. It comes with two different size brackets and three silicone ear tips for a very custom fit. The battery life will last about eight hours with using and can reach 180 hours on standby. Here is a list of other specs on the headset. 

- Color: Silver / Blue

- Size: 45cm long

- Weight: 0.45 oz

- Bluetooth V4.1

- Bluetooth Chip: CSR8645 with ATP-X function

- Bluetooth reach: 33 feet (10m)

- Support Mode: headset/hands-free/A2DP/AVRCPAPT-X

- Battery: Lithium polymer battery (70mAh)

- Charging: USB (DC 5V)

- Function: 2-Link Design, NFC, Voice Prompts, Number Redial

*note I was sent these headphones to review

LES Labs Probiotic Formula

The LES Labs Probiotic formula helping with digestive health and immune support. The capsules are acid-resistant and vegetarian and contain 12 strains. It is recommended you take one or two of the 12+ probiotic capsules daily on an empty stomach. The capsules help with digestion and intestinal health while helping support a healthy immune system. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that help with digestion. 

There is good and bad bacteria and these capsules provide good bacteria helping your gut stay healthy. These capsules are easy to swallow.   

Core Vitality's Maximum Power

I have tried and used the Core Vitality Maximum Power all-natural testosterone booster.  I have been working hard on increasing my endurance and energy and the Core Vitality max power capsules are helping. For those allergic to shellfish, this product does contain oyster.  The capsules manufactured with a combination of Tongkat Ali (LongJack), Maca, L-Arginine, Ginseng, and also 745mg of a proprietary blend of Core Vitality’s. 

Mid-Week Check In

The past few weeks have been a little difficult getting longer workouts in, as my family and I are relocating to a different city.  I am still able to get in my "daily mile or more" run even with the monsoon weather moving in nightly, while I get my run in. After I have had some time to settle, I look forward to creating new training rides and runs.  I will also be closer to a desert mountain park area in which I have ridden mountain bike numerous times and look to get out there more. 

This week too I found out that while my kids are in nightly swim lessons, the instructors are cool with the parents swimming in an open lane.  For one it beats sitting in the heat looking on, but I am able to get a swim workout in. 

Garvon’s Beard Oil

Garvon’s Beard Oil

I was sent to use and review Garvon’s beard oil. I was worried at first that the smell would bug me, but I was wrong.  The one fluid ounce bottle comes complete with a dropper. It is recommended use is after washing your beard. Using the dropper, place three or four drops rubbed in your palm and rub your hands together, then massage into your beard.  They also recommend using it daily on your facial hair. It leaves my beard manageable and helps fight split ends. Besides organic Aragon and organic Jojoba oils, the beard oil also contains oils such as organic sunflower oil, fractionated coconut oil, vitamin B5, olive oil, grapeseed oil and shea butter. Obviously discontinue use the oil if any irritation happens or you a allergic to any of its ingredients. After swimming, the chemicals in the pool tend to be harsh not only on a beard but hair on my head also. Using the Garvon beard oil helps protect and reduce itchiness. This version of the oil is unscented, so no over powering smells will drive you crazy.     

CycleBeam’s Proton 700 Lumen Bike Helmet Light

CycleBeam’s Proton 700 Lumen Bike Helmet Light

 Helmet Mount 

 Proton 700

 Battery Pack / Cords / Emergency Charger

Power Button Glows Green

CycleBeam’s Proton 700 Lumen bike helmet light is a LED CREE XM-L2  which is enclosed in an aircraft-grade aluminum housing which is water-proof. Being housed in aluminum it allows for the light to dissipate heat, helping increase the length the battery before recharging. Weighing about 167 Gram ( 50 Gram — light + 117 Gram — battery) it is very comfortable mounted on top of the bike helmet. It’s single button control is easy to use in any of the six modes ( high, medium, low, strobe, SOS and off). The battery level is shown in the button with is glowing green when the battery is full and red when it is low. With the output of the light set on high, emitting a full 650-700 Lumen the battery will last about two and a half hours. 

The light mounts very easily to the helmet mount using a rubber ring, which in turn is easily attached running it through a few air vents in the helmet and centering the light.  When mounted the light is able to be adjusted up and down allowing the rider to light the path more in front of them or up close. 

Straps also come along to strap the battery to your helmet, however after a long ride any weight added to the helmet is unnecessary.  A 40 inch power extension comes with the light, allowing you to place the battery pack in your jersey pocket or ride pack. 
The light is very impressive for its size and the quality of the beam is sweet. 

Besides using the USB connector to charge the battery back, it can be used in an emergency as a power bank for your smart phone or other device. It takes awhile for the battery to charge so keep this in mind before wanting to use the light.